Trump orders some Epstein evidence bared after birthday letter exposé
In a late-night social media post, Trump told Bondi to release whatever information she could, a move that would effectively reverse the administration's previous stance that there would be nothing further disclosed.
The president furiously blamed Democrats and claimed there was no damaging evidence about him in the files, even though the issue has caused a massive split within his right-wing MAGA movement.
'If there was a 'smoking gun' on Epstein, why didn't the Dems, who controlled the 'files' for four years … use it?' he wrote Friday on his social media site, referring to former President Biden's term in the White House. 'Because they had nothing.'
Bondi said she would seek court permission as early as later Friday to release grand jury information in the infamous underage sex ring, a move that would require a judge's approval.
She and Trump were silent on the additional evidence collected by federal law enforcement in the sprawling investigation that Bondi last week announced she would not release.
Trump also vowed to sue The Wall Street Journal after the paper described a sexually suggestive letter from Trump to Epstein that was included in a 2003 album for Epstein's 50th birthday.
The 'Happy Birthday' note, which Trump denies writing, featured several lines of text 'framed by the outline of a naked woman,' the Journal reported.
'May every day be another wonderful secret,' Trump wrote, according to the Journal.
Trump hit back at the paper, calling the article 'false, malicious, and defamatory.' He vowed to force the Murdoch family that owns the paper to pay a hefty settlement like the ones he has won from other media companies over various legal disputes.
'These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don't draw pictures,' Trump said on his social media site, although several of his drawings have been made public and even sold online. 'I told Rupert Murdoch it was a scam, that he shouldn't print this fake story.'
Trump vowed to force Rupert Murdoch to testify about the story, deriding the paper as a 'pile of garbage' in another post.
The flurry of activity in the explosive Epstein case came after several days of political drama raged within Trump's base of support over his initial decision to try to put the case behind him.
Trump in recent days has derided some of his supporters as 'weaklings' and said he no longer wants their backing as they demanded the release of more records from the Epstein probe.
Trump and his allies have for years stoked claims of a cover-up in the case to protect wealthy and politically connected associates of Epstein, even though the president himself was once close friends with the financier and Palm Beach neighbor.
Epstein died by suicide in 2019 awaiting trial on federal charges of trafficking of scores of underage girls. His ex-girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, was convicted of helping him procure young girls for sex and is serving a 20-year sentence in federal prison.
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